Southern Pine Beetle

Southern Pine Beetle Damage

The southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis; SPB) is the most destructive insect pest of pine forests in the South (Thatcher and Conner 1985). Populations build rapidly during periodic outbreaks and kill large numbers of trees. Average annual losses may exceed 100 million board feet of sawtimber and 20 million cubic feet of growing stock. From 1991 to 1996, total value of trees killed by SPB in the southern United States was estimated at $493 million (Price and others 1998). However, during endemic periods, SPB populations may be so low that it is difficult to locate a single infested tree or capture beetles in pheromone traps (Thatcher and Barry 1982, Thatcher and others 1980).

The southern pine beetle is native to the southern Appalachians and feeds upon pines (Pinus spp.), often leading to large amounts of tree mortality. The recorded history of outbreaks in the eastern United States dates back to the late 1700s. Southern pine beetle biology includes the release of pheromones which can attract many individuals leading to mass attacks on trees. Characteristics of the adult beetles or the galleries can be used for identification.

Successful control relies on the ability to survey, detect and manage SPB epidemics. Progress on these techniques has been made but are not perfected. Continuing changes in our society and individual views of how forest resources are to be utilized or not utilized directly impact management options. For example, some view certain forest conditions as threatening or unhealthy, while others see the same conditions as healthy or just the natural course of events. The potential for forest fire can be seen in this way. These differing points of view are based on individual or organizational agendas (Allen 1994, Boyce and Haney 1997). Reconciling different points of view is one of the most difficult tasks we face in the protection of our natural resources.

This section details the southern pine beetle more specifically regarding the identification and biology, history, epidemiology, and survey and detection strategies that have been developed over years of research.